Related Articles
Donald Trump announced that he will surrender to Georgia authorities for arrest and arraignment in his state 2020 election interference RICO case on Thursday, but the conditions he must agree to in order to secure bail have already been decided.
“Can you believe it? I’ll be going to Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday to be ARRESTED by a Radical Left District Attorney, Fani Willis, who is overseeing one of the greatest Murder and Violent Crime DISASTERS in American History,” Trump wrote Monday on Truth Social. “In my case, the trip to Atlanta is not for “Murder,” but for making a PERFECT PHONE CALL! She campaigned, and is continuing to campaign, and raise money on, this WITCH HUNT. This is in strict coordination with Crooked Joe Biden’s DOJ. It is all about ELECTION INTERFERENCE!”
Trump took advantage of the announcement to take dig at Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, whose team met with Trump’s attorneys on Monday to discuss the specifics on the former president’s surrender and the conditions of his release. The stipulations attached to the former president’s bail were released shortly after the meeting — and the potential targeting of those involved in the case was featured heavily in the requirements.
The former president will be required to pay a $200,000 bond, and sign off on various requirements from the court in order to remain free. These include not committing any further crimes, appearing in court when required to, and refraining from making any “direct or indirect threat of any nature” against any co-defendant, unindicted co-conspirator, witness, or victim.
The court also prohibits the former president from making a “direct or indirect threat of any nature against the community or to any property in the community.”
Crucially, prosecutors made a point to stipulate that these restrictions apply to “posts on social media or reposts of posts made by another individual on social media.”
Georgia prosecutors are likely seeking to preemptively restrain the former president from engaging in the directed attacks against investigators, judges, and even witnesses. Their concerns have been repeatedly validated by Trump’s manic social media posts and public statements, which often target those involved in the case. Last week, Trump wrote on Truth Social that former Georgia Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan should not provide his testimony to prosecutors investigating his case.
“I am reading reports that failed former Lt. Governor of Georgia, Jeff Duncan, will be testifying before the Fulton County Grand Jury. He shouldn’t,” Trump wrote in Truth Social. “I barely know him but he was, right from the beginning of this Witch Hunt, a nasty disaster for those looking into the Election Fraud that took place in Georgia. He refused having a Special Session to find out what went on, became very unpopular with Republicans (I refused to endorse him!), and fought the TRUTH all the way.”
Witness intimidation is a concern in Trump’s federal cases, as well. Earlier this month, Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office was granted a partial protective order restricting Trump’s ability to distribute evidence made available to him in the course of his federal 2020 election meddling trial. The case’s judge, Tanya Chutkan, warned Trump and his attorneys that she would “ take whatever measures are necessary to safeguard the integrity of these proceedings.”
“Even arguably ambiguous statements from parties or their counsel, if they can be reasonably interpreted to intimidate witnesses or to prejudice potential jurors, can threaten the process,” Chutkan told Trump’s attorneys.
This article was updated on August 21, 2023 at 8:20 PM to include additional details regarding the date of former President Trump’s surrender to Georgia authorities.
